Bring Me Home at Last
by SiberianUnicorn
Summary: An orphaned Dwarf named Filduir is finally out on his own in the world, and runs into some Durin's folk searching for Thorin Oakenshield's long-lost nephew. Having always hoped that his own family might be out there, Filduir jumps at the chance they offer him. Perhaps he's being too hopeful for his own good, but the outcome of his escapade is like nothing he ever expected.
1. Prologue

p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"There was a time, not very long ago, when Durin's folk lived united, in majesty alongside the Men of Dale, high upon the Lonely Mountain. The year was 2770, and Thror son of Dain I was King under the Mountain. That day, there was a birthday to celebrate; the king's granddaughter had given birth to her second son, and the Dwarves of Erebor had taken a day away from their forges to make merry and revel. And though the name of the newborn royal was on everyone's lips, all eyes vying for a glance at the latest addition to the royal family, none quite were as excited as Thror's firstborn great-grandson./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Lady Dis felt a tug on her skirts, a sensation that never failed to put a smile on her lips before she even looked down. When she craned her head to look, her smile grew at the sight of her golden boy with his little hands fisted in the fabric of her dress./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Fili, my love, there you are," said the lady as she turned from the cradle, just for a moment, to give her son her full attention. "Where did you run off to this time?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The boy's only response was his smile, bright as day, which Dis couldn't help but mirror. "Can I see?" he asked, his azure eyes flickering to the cradle. He could barely see over the lip of ornately forged gold./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Of course, my love." There was no other possible answer. Raising him by his arms, Dis lifted Fili up to peer into the cradle at the treasure that lay inside./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"A newborn, not even a week old, contented himself by sucking on his fist. Dark wisps of hair lay flat against his head, and when blue eyes and golden hair came into view, big brown eyes stared right back./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Fili grinned from ear to ear at the sight of his baby brother, and reached into the cradle to touch him. His legs dangled off the floor, swinging happily as the infant looked at him dumbly. But then, a squealing laugh spilled from the baby's lips, and he flailed his fingers to get a grip on Fili's hand./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Dis watched, a grin of her own visible for everyone to see, but still kept for herself, in a way. She wanted to remember this moment for the rest of her life. When her boys were grown and wooing Dwarf lasses, she wanted to remember the way they were amazed by each other, the way they grabbed for each other like it was instinct. She knew right then that they would be thick as thieves in the years to come. Covering for each other when they got in trouble, sparring together; she could see it now. And she didn't want it any other way./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Alright now, darling, I can't possibly hold you up any longer." With a swift kiss to his cheek, the lady set her son down. "You grow so quickly, it won't be long before you're as big as your father and your uncles." That comment earned her another smile and a giggle from her golden boy./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Not very far away, the king's eldest grandson watched his sister and her sons with a smile of his own. He didn't do much of that lately, but considering the events of the day, it didn't hurt to make an exception. After all, one couldn't go on worrying about their grandfather's mental health forever./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Forcing the worries out of his mind for not the first time that day, Thorin called to Fili. The boy looked back from his mother and ran as fast as he could to his uncle. There was no way to prepare for the barreling hug Thorin got to the knees, but thankfully Fili wasn't strong enough to knock him down. Not yet, anyway./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"A chuckle fell from Thorin's lips as he steadied Fili and crouched down to the boy's height. Even if some family was causing him grief, it was good to have the rest of them as a welcome distraction./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What do you think?" he asked, looking past his nephew to his sister, who had picked up her second son and began to rock him in her arms. "Think he'll be hunting and sparring someday?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Fili nodded quickly. "But I'll be stronger!"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Thorin's eyes creased at the sides as he laughed, and he brought his hand up to grip the boy's shoulder. "We'll see, we'll see." He glanced at Dis again; Frerin had joined her, and had managed to tickle the baby and say something to make Dis giggle. Either way, all three of them were laughing. It made Thorin's heart clench in a way that he wasn't used to anymore./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I have something for you." From his pocket, Thorin withdrew a talisman; it was a smooth, ebony stone, with Khuzdul engraved into the surface. Someday, Fili would learn the language and know what it said./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""This has been in our family since Durin's day," Thorin said as he pressed the runestone into Fili's hand. The boy's eyes grew wide. "But you have to make me a promise."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Another nod from Fili, and Thorin went on: "Promise me that you'll always take care of your family. Be there for them. If we ever separate, make sure they are safe, and someday you'll bring us together again. That's what this says; 'Return to me'. You can promise me this, can't you?" Perhaps Thorin was becoming more concerned than first he realized in the wake of Thror's sickness. Either way, he meant every word./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"But for Fili, he had never been entrusted anything so important before. In that moment, this little stone and promise was worth more to him than all the toys in his nursery./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Of course, he agreed. "Yes, uncle!" he exclaimed, closing both hands around the runestone. Right then, Fili even promised himself: he would look after his mum and baby brother for the rest of his days./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""That's my boy." Thorin ruffled his nephew's yellow hair, and kissed the crown of his head. In that moment, everything was perfect. Even if King Thror couldn't take a moment away from his precious gold and jewels and the Arkenstone for his family, at least Thorin had this: two wonderful nephews with so much potential and their loving mother, his dear sister. Everything was perfect./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Or at least, it had been. Until the warning bells sounded, and dragon-fire exploded through the window./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Suddenly they were running for their lives. Dwarves were scattered, trying desperately to escape the mountain. Ahead they could see Dale in flames, the Men in no better a state than them./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Dis was running as fast as a lass could holding the hand of a small child and a baby against her breast. What was once a giggling newborn was now a screaming infant, and it didn't help to feel his mother puffing with exertion and fear./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Thorin wasn't far behind, trying desperately to keep an eye on his sister and her sons among the stampede of terrified Durin's folk. Luckily they were safe, as of then, and his father was right behind with Balin and Frerin. If they ran fast enough, it seemed they would make it out just in time. His family was going to make it. They would be—Thror. Where was Thror?/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"It didn't take Thorin long to guess where his grandfather might be, and a potent mix of terror and anger seized him. He stopped dead in his tracks, getting jostled by the people running by, and watched Thrain, Frerin, and Balin pass while his sister got farther and farther ahead. With a bitter curse— to the dragon, to his grandfather, to everything— he turned on his heel and made his swift way back into Erebor./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Just at that moment, Fili happened to turn back from the burning town to see his uncle pressing through the escaping Dwarves. Going toward the palace. Going the wrong way. What was he doing?! There was a dragon that way! In the boy's innocent mind, he couldn't possibly fathom any reason why Thorin would be going back. No sooner did he forget that he wasn't as strong as his father or his uncles was he pulling away from his mother and running after Thorin. Dis's screams for him to come back went unheeded as Fili's tiny body navigated the crowd of bustling Dwarves./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"It wasn't until the son of Thrain was halfway up the bridge from the city to the palace that the calls of "Uncle Thorin! Uncle Thorin!" reach his ears. Thorin turned around, only to have his stomach drop down into his feet. There was Fili, in his soot-stained party clothes, far from his mother and heading towards danger./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Thorin's anger surpassed his concern. "Fili! What are you doing?! Go back!" he yelled./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The familiar guilt of a boy who'd done wrong shined in the blue eyes of Thorin's nephew, but they were back to their childish resolve in an instant. "Come back, you're going the wrong way!" Fili said as loud as he could, going up the bridge through the overwhelming crowd./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The prince was too panicked to explain to Fili what he didn't understand. "Go back!" Thorin gestured wildly, but it seemed to have no effect on the boy. The king's grandson was ready to go after him and drag him all the way back to his mother, when a stony groan rose above the buzz of the crowd, stunning them all into silence for the moment, and reminding them all that this bridge was not meant to carry the weight of this many people./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The realization hit Thorin like a ton of bricks and he lunged for his nephew. Within a few strides his outstretched arms would have just been able to snatch him up, pull Fili into safety. But Thorin was a stride too late when the stone between them cracked. Suddenly the several Dwarves that had been standing there were plummeting into the ravine below, all including the great-grandson of the king. Thorin's cry fell silent on parted lips as he was only able to stare into the gaping hole just a small distance away from him./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Matters became worse. The buzz of the crowd became a shriek, and if Thorin hadn't stumbled to the side of the bridge then the frenzied Dwarves trying to navigate around the hole would have shoved him right down into it./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"If he hadn't forced himself to think of Thror right then, he didn't know what he would have done in his instantaneous grief. Before he could catch another glimpse of the cavernous hole in the bridge, he buried his sorrow and sprinted back to the Mountain. He only hoped that he could at least save this family member today./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"***/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The most heart wrenching sound in the entire world was that of a mother crying out for her lost family. Not only had Fili fallen during the bridge collapse, but his father had been lost in the blaze of Erebor./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Somehow, Dis's second son was able to sleep through her wails, the awful sobs that made Thorin's hair stand on end and his hatred for himself grow. A little ways off, Thror sat dumbly after having been torn from his treasures, and Thrain tried desperately to get a reaction out of him. Balin, Frerin, and Dwalin tended to the injured./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I'm… sorry." Thorin's voice came out hoarse, almost inaudible. He said it again. "I'm sorry, Dis."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Whether the lady even heard him or not, he didn't know. She just kept crying for her husband and child./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"What were they to do? Those Dwarves and Men who had survived the fires solaced now on the edge of the River Running. No one knew where to go from there. The survivors were plagued by remorse and silence./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Thorin knew that he couldn't just stand there, though. He left his sister, though it pained him to, and went to his grandfather and father. Not for the first time, he wished he hadn't gone after Thror. If he had left the king to his gold, then that bright little boy would still have a chance to grow into a strong Dwarf like his father and uncles./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What will you have us do?" Thorin demanded from Thrain. Under other circumstances, he would have been punished for such words towards the king./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Thror made no sound. He sat on a log, looking at his feet. Thrain looked up at Thorin with knitted brows, a silent message to ease back./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"But his son took no heed. "Your great-grandson is dead!" the prince spat. "Your granddaughter's husband is dead! Your people are dead! And all you can do is wallow here, yearning for your Arkenstone?!" He almost had the gall to grab the king by the collar of his shirt, to say he wished him dead rather than the boy. But Thrain stopped him./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Now's not the time," said Thror's son. He tried to sound commanding, but he had never possessed the same demand for authority as his father or his son. Still, Thorin respected Thrain, and heeded his order./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Thorin… please… I'm afraid there's nothing that can be done about our circumstances right now. Would you please comfort your sister? It would be the greatest help you could lend me."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Though unwilling, Thorin agreed. He went back to Dis, and Thrain to Thror. Fortunately, Dis had regressed to quiet weeping, hugging herself as she rocked back and forth on the grass. It wasn't an ideal manner to see her in, but it was preferred by Thorin to her previous state./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"He sat beside her and pulled her into a rough embrace. It was by no means soft or warm but, Thorin hoped, at least, comforting. Dis shook, clutching her second son— her only son— in her arms./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""We'll be okay," Thorin whispered fiercely into her hair, which was the same raven shade as his. "Today I have failed you more than I can say, but if there's one thing I can promise you, it is that we will be okay."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Dis turned her red-rimmed eyes to her brother. At the moment, she didn't quite believe him. With her golden boy and his dear father ripped from her, what was she to believe anymore? She looked down at her baby though, sleeping peacefully amidst the calamity that had struck. In that moment, Dis realized she had to keep hold to something rational. If not for herself, than for her child. For both her children./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She nodded to Thorin silently, not so sure of her decision still, but not ready to bring about an argument because of her mulishness. In seconds her lip was wobbling again, and she buried her head against her brother's chest./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"It was then that Thorin vowed to keep what remained of his family safe. He vowed that Dis and her son would not see peril. For this reason he sent them away when it came time to battle for reign over Moria./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"And he vowed to never forgive and to never forget. If not for himself, then for his fallen family. No amount of gold or treasures, or even Arkenstones, was worth what he had lost that day on the Lonely Mountain./p 


	2. Heart Don't Fail Me Now

p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Not many sunny days went by in Lake-town, and today was no exception. The wooden board roads were damp— always damp— and mud stuck in every crevice it could find, tracked in from the boots of Men who strayed down to land. Yet even in its gloom, the little village was always buzzing— if dully buzzing— with gossip. Small towns are always so chit-chatty, aren't they? At the fish market, two spinsters were chatting about how the butcher's wife had cheated on him with the baker. A man whispered about some long-lost royal of another race with a price on his head to two cloaked figures. And a group of children whispered about the strangest member of their town, whom would be leaving for good that day./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Certain places were especially dreary and got no gossip, though, like the orphanage settled in a little corner of the water-dwelling town./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Three bedraggled children played with a ball in front of the building, kicking it back and forth lethargically. Suddenly, the front doors burst open and the supervisor plodded out. Her permanent scowl was ripe on her face that morning. The children knew better than to be in her way when she was in this sort of mood, so they were quick to take their game to the other side of the building. Following the supervisor out the door was a strapping young lad with his knapsack, rather chipper that day despite the weather and the woman sneering at him. He was quite the handsome fellow, with long golden curls fastened at the nape of his neck and eyes the color of the sky (on a good day that is). If it weren't for his short height, he would have girls falling all over him./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Well, here we are at last," the supervisor- her name was Sigrid- spat. "I can't say I'm sad to see you-"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Goodbye Filduir!"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"From the windows in the second and third floors of the orphanage, boys and girls stuck their heads out and waved to the lad below. He grinned and waved back, bidding farewell to each and every one of the children by name. They were the only members of the town to have ever cared about him, and the only ones he would be missing./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""That's enough, you have chores to do!" Sigrid screeched at the children, and they eventually all left to do their work, or, more likely, take advantage of the time their dratted guardian wasn't inside to have a bit of fun./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She huffed, pushing back the mousy hair that wisped onto her face as she returned to the lad. "You know, you've been one of the biggest hassles I've ever had to look after. Distracting the other brats, getting into trouble. And the slack I've gotten from the town for it, good gracious. Why, I knew I was in for it, taking in an orphaned Dwarf of all things, but you, Filduir? You were more than I bargained for. I should have thrown you out years ago."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Sigrid had said that same speech so many times in the last forty years, Filduir could practically mouth along with her. But instead, he just nodded, smiling through the ordeal. "I'll miss you too, Sigrid."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Her glower could have maimed a man, but Filduir was used to it. And luckily, he was no Man./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""You better beat it out of your head that you're something special. Because you're not, and thinking that way will only get you hurt. You're just another poor sod who lost everything when that damned dragon came along. Your parents are nothing but bones and dirt at the bottom of that mountain, and that's all there is to it."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"It was her attempt at the last word, and not the first time she pulled that card. Of course it hurt Filduir, but he wasn't so easily swayed./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""But there is more to it," he insisted, fisting into his pocket and drawing out the one thing he carried with him everywhere. "I have this, and it's-"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Oh, right, your precious little rock." Sigrid snatched the stone right out of his hand, waving it around in the foggy air. "You can't even read it, what makes you think it's going to tell you anything about your family?" She threw it back to him, and Filduir scrambled to catch it. That time, her words made him flinch./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I managed to get you a job at a forge in the Iron Hills. Figured you ought to be annoying your own kin, rather than us. You start next week, it's a few days' journey. You better be there, and if you're not… well, then, you were a complete waste of my time." With that, Sigrid went back inside, closing the doors behind her with a final, resounding bang./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"And that was it. Filduir was free of that wretched place. He broke into a triumphant grin, pumping his fists in the air and running down the boardwalk street. He almost tripped and fell in the murky lake at least three times, but he was in too good of a mood to be embarrassed or even slow down. Citizens of Lake-town were slightly amused to see their only Dwarven resident in such a state, and even happier to see him leaving./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"It had never been a surprise to Filduir that no one wanted him, even at a young age. Adoptions in Lake-town were scarce, and especially so when you weren't a Man. After all, parents wanted a cute child; a short, stout little tyke with stubbling facial hair is not going to be chosen over a cooing baby with pillow-soft skin. And that's how Filduir ended up staying there for forty. And why he had agreed to stay an extra four, he'd never know. Just like Sigrid. Probably something about needing money to start out, and Sigrid agreeing to pay him next to nothing to perform maintenance, and then next to—next to nothing since she was still providing him food and shelter./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"But now all of that was over, and he could roam as he pleased, with nothing to hold him back. There was a whole world waiting for him out there. In fact, Filduir had never even been to the area of town he was walking through! He was a free man— er, Dwarf./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Filduir was in high spirits, until he remembered his new job, and the Iron Hills. Going to be with his own people would be a welcome relief. But then again, they weren't really his span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"own /spanpeople, now were they? His people had been killed and scattered by the dragon who now dwelled in his homeland./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Filduir looked toward the Lonely Mountain looming over Lake-town, solitary against the horizon. There were probably all sorts of things there, if they hadn't been destroyed by the fires. Books, artifacts, buildings. Everyone had left in a hurry, hadn't brought anything with them but the clothes on their backs. Perhaps he-/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"No. He couldn't. Aule, a fire-breathing dragon lived upon the Lonely Mountain! He was crazy to think he could go there and wander about unnoticed. Filduir winced at his own brash thoughts and rubbed his hands over his eyes to sedate his imagination./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Still…he didn't even have to go all the way into the Mountain…not where the dragon was, at least…/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Finally, Filduir arrived at the end of town (or rather, where the docks were. He purchased a little rowboat from the boatman there with some of the sparse coins he had earned over the years, and was soon upon the water. It wasn't any different from being in town, except the floor wobbled a bit./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"To his right was passage to the Iron Hills, if his map was correct, and directly behind lay the Lonely Mountain. Suddenly he was acutely aware of the weight of his stone in his pocket./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Filduir chewed his lip thoughtfully. He'd been sitting there for a good while, and could feel the boatman's eyes on him. He had to make a decision before he drew the attention of the whole village./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Filduir had always dreamed of his family, what they might be— or what might have been— like. Sometimes if he found himself idle, he'd remember the glimpse of a pretty smile, or a pair of crinkled blue eyes, maybe a child's laughter. They were always gone instantly, leaving only the ghost of a memory behind. Eventually, the images and sounds echoed into nothing./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Filduir didn't want ghosts. He wanted reality. Truth. Home, love, family. If not to have them now, but to know he'd had them at some point. He must have had them./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"He began to row backwards, then navigated the boat so that he steered straight for the Lonely Mountain. All the while, he prayed to whatever god was out there, whether he was of Man or Dwarf, that this wasn't going to be the stupidest decision he'd ever made in his life./p 


End file.
